Cougars Blast Three Home Runs, Rally Past Spartans

CHARLESTON, S.C. - College of Charleston (5-3) baseball scored nine runs over their final two at-bats Friday for an 11-3 win over Michigan State (4-4) from Patriots Point.

Joseph Mershon finished a single shy of the cycle as the senior infielder collected a career-best 6 RBI in the runaway win, four coming on his eighth inning grand slam to right field. Charleston also got home runs from Will Baumhofer to tie the game at 3-3 in the seventh, then a three-run, go-ahead shot from Trotter Harlan to cap a five-run seventh inning.

Leading Off

Final Score: Charleston 11, Michigan State 3

Location: Patriots Point

Records: Charleston (5-3), Michigan State (4-4)

How It Happened

• Michigan State got on the board with an unearned run in the first but Charleston was able to push across two in the third to answer on an Patrick Sanchez RBI single and Joseph Mershon RBI triple.

• The Spartans would tie it in the fifth then regain a 3-2 lead on a Sam Busch RBI double in the sixth.

• Ty Good tossed six innings of six-strikeout baseball allowing just four hits and two earned runs, keeping a Spartan offense that had scored 7-plus four times already at bay.

• Will Baumhofer’s solo shot to straightaway center field off the batter’s eye tied the game at 3-3 jumpstarting a five-run seventh to reclaim the lead and break it open.

• Trotter Harlan delivered a three-run home run to left field and 7-3 Cougar lead, his first long ball of the season.

• Mershon put an emphatic stamp on a career day hitting an eighth-inning grand slam for his 6th RBI of the night and third extra-base hit.

• Aidan Hunter and William Privette tossed 3.0 scoreless innings to close the door on the Spartans striking out four batters and allowing just one hit.

Key Cougars

• Joseph Mershon finished 3-for-4 just a single shy of the cycle and a career-best 6 RBI in the Cougar win. Mershon started his day with an RBI triple in the second, added the go-ahead double in the seventh then capped it off with a grand slam to right in the eighth.

• Will Baumhofer added a 2-for-4 effort at the dish scoring twice and tying the game in the seventh with a leadoff home run to center field off the batter’s eye.

• Trotter Harlan finished 2-for-5 and a three-run home run to left ending a five-run Cougar rally in the seventh inning.

• Tyler Sorrentino, Mershon, Baumhofer, Khyree Miller and Patrick Sanchez all scored twice in the runaway win Friday.

• Ty Good struck out six Michigan State batters across six innings of work allowing only two earned runs and four hits. Aidan Hunter and William Privette would finish the Cougar win with three shutdown innings striking out four and surrendering only one hit.

Notes

• Joseph Mershon became the fifth Cougar with three hits in a game and finished with a career-best 6 RBI. Mershon also collected his second triple over his last three games.

• Will Baumhofer, Khyree Miller and Luke Wood each extended their hitting streaks to six games.

• Charleston extended their win streak to four games and have scored 9-plus runs in three of those victories.

Up Next

Charleston hosts Air Force Saturday for the middle game of a split series between the Spartans and Falcons. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. from Patriots Point.